Ampersand will help the existing team enhance the overall visitor experience in the gallery’s 10th anniversary year.
Ampersand’s contract to provide visitor catering and events services at the venue is worth £2.5 million over five years. On site, Compton Verney has a 100 cover waitress serviced restaurant offering a la carte dining and a café which offers visitors a more informal option.
Both are open Tuesday to Sunday between mid-February and mid-December. In the warmer months there will also be a mobile facility and pop-up units in the grounds selling ice-cream and drinks. Ampersand will also be bringing their renowned expertise to provide the catering for hire events at Compton Verney such as weddings, private parties and product launches.
The Compton Verney team cited two main factors in selecting Ampersand: firstly its understanding of the role good food and service plays in enhancing the overall visitor experience; and secondly its ability to offer a market-leading sales and marketing resource to support the on-site team.
Rachel Davies, deputy director at Compton Verney, said: “Ampersand demonstrated great understanding of our business and how their catering services will play an integral role in enhancing our visitors’ experience. We have a remarkable year ahead with great events and exhibitions, so we are thrilled to have found a caterer who shares our enthusiasm for the future.”
Ampersand managing director Paul Jackson, added: “We are honoured to serve such a beautiful art gallery in such a lovely setting with exciting site development plans. This appointment demonstrates our brand’s growing strength outside London.”